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20230804010189I

Incident · Substantial damage
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FAA incident report · Grumman American Avn. AA-5B · Everett, WA · August 4, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 4, 2023 · 17:30 local
Place
Everett, WA
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N88NS
Reported as
Grumman American Avn. AA-5B
Reported engine
Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
192 total23 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days
N88NSRegistered now · Grumman American Avn. AA-5BS/N AA5B-0196 · Built 1975Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-5BEngine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On August 4, 2023, after having flown 3 circuits in the pattern at paine field, Grumman AA5B aircraft, landed, and taxied to tiedown spot C-148 at paine field to drop off 1 passenger after engine shutdown. Pilot in command (PIC), then attempted to restart the engine, using hot engine procedures, in order to reposition the aircraft to a hangar located on another part of paine field. The engine proceeded to crank, but did not start. PIC then primed the engine and waited to attempt another start. On second attempt, engine did not start. PIC was waiting for about one minute when he noted a burning smell and smoke escaping from under the engine cowling. Upon further examination, PIC noted flames originating from the bottom of the engine cowling. PIC attempted a third engine start unsuccessfully. With smoke appearing to worsen, PIC turned off master, removed key, and as fire grew, exited the aircraft and called 911. Paine field operations & fire department arrived and extinguished the engine fire. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to the firewall, windshield, and cockpit avionics.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 4, 2023, AFTER HAVING FLOWN 3 CIRCUITS IN THE PATTERN AT PAINE FIELD, GRUMMAN AA5B AIRCRAFT, LANDED, AND TAXIED TO TIEDOWN SPOT C-148 AT PAINE FIELD TO DROP OFF 1 PASSENGER AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN. PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC), THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, USING HOT ENGINE PROCEDURES, IN ORDER TO REPOSITION THE AIRCRAFT TO A HANGAR LOCATED ON ANOTHER PART OF PAINE FIELD. THE ENGINE PROCEEDED TO CRANK, BUT DID NOT START. PIC THEN PRIMED THE ENGINE AND WAITED TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER START. ON SECOND ATTEMPT, ENGINE DID NOT START. PIC WAS WAITING FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE WHEN HE NOTED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE ESCAPING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COWLING. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, PIC NOTED FLAMES ORIGINATING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWLING. PIC ATTEMPTED A THIRD ENGINE START UNSUCCESSFULLY. WITH SMOKE APPEARING TO WORSEN, PIC TURNED OFF MASTER, REMOVED KEY, AND AS FIRE GREW, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CALLED 911. PAINE FIELD OPERATIONS & FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE ENGINE FIRE. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL, WINDSHIELD, AND COCKPIT AVIONICS.